The Sky Blues were on the road as they visited the ABAX Stadium to take on play-off place rivals Peterborough United in a bid to move within one point of sixth-placed Doncaster Rovers.
The home team began the game on the front foot, immediately putting pressure on the Sky Blues.
Lee Burge was called into action multiple times in the opening five minutes of the game, pulling off a number of saves - his best coming from a powerful Callum Cooke half-volley from the edge of the box which he managed to get his fingertips to.
With 10 minutes on the clock, City had carved out their first chance and came close to opening the scoring.
An in-swinging Luke Thomas corner was met at the front post by Amadou Bakayoko who guided the ball goalward, but his effort was deflected away from goal at the last.
Minutes later, and thanks to the heroics of Conor O’Malley, the Posh were still on level terms.
Bright Enobakhare played a wonderfully weighted ball in-behind the Posh defence for Jordy Hiwula to run on to.
The winger chopped inside of Jason Naismith and smashed the shot straight at the on-rushing O’Malley.
The next passage of play saw the ball make its way out to Dujon Sterling as he overlapped Luke Thomas on the right wing.
Sterling delivered a first-time cross across the face of the six-yard box which was aimed towards Bakayoko, but for Daniel Lafferty to beat the striker to the ball and hack away from danger.
Just after the 15-minute mark, and the Sky Blues were inches away from the taking the lead from Brandon Mason’s cross.
The high ball was caught by the wind and inadvertently crashed against the crossbar and smashed away from danger.
Just before the half-hour mark, and this time it was Burge keeping the Sky Blues on level terms, as he turned away Matt Godden’s acrobatic effort for a corner.
With the first half drawing to a close, Bakayoko fired the Sky Blues into the lead.
Luke Thomas slid the ball in behind the defence to Bakayoko who was in acres of space on the edge of the Posh box. The striker kept his calm and slid the ball underneath the on-rushing O’Malley.
HALF-TIME: Peterborough United 0 – 1 Sky Blues
With only four minutes of the second half gone, the Sky Blues had doubled their lead, and Enobakhare got himself on the scoresheet.
It’s Lee Burge who will claim the assist, after using the wind to pick the midfielder out with a long ball upfield.
The ball bounced twice, and Enobakhare latched onto the loose ball to stab home, once again, under the on-rushing Conor O’Malley.
Minutes later, O’Malley found himself in the book as he brought down Luke Thomas 25-yards from goal. Luckily for the ‘keeper, the challenge took place on the sideline and there were defenders covering him.
Soon after, the Sky Blues were counting their lucky stars as Ivan Toney slipped as he was latching on to a loose ball from Marcus Maddison that would have seen the striker in a one-on-one position with Lee Burge.
Just after the hour mark, and Bakayoko thought he had secured his second of the afternoon following Liam Kelly’s speculative set-piece.
All O’Malley could do with Kelly’s freekick was palm it up into the air which Bakayoko headed into the back of the net. However, the referee scrubbed the goal off as he felt the striker committed a foul.
Immediately after, and the Sky Blue fans were up in arms as they felt that Luke Thomas was fouled in the Posh area and should have earned a penalty.
It seemed that the winger took a high boot to the face, but the referee waved play on as the 20-year old looked in pain on the ABAX turf. Jordan Shipley subsequently replaced Luke Thomas.
The Sky Blues were now in full control of the game, with the wind behind their backs.
Neat play from Bayliss and Shipley found Bayliss played in down the right as he looked to deliver a cross to the oncoming Jordy Hiwula.
Hiwula was inches away from nodding Bayliss’ cross into an open net but could only bundle himself into Posh goal as he saw the ball elude him and bounce out for a throw-in.
With an extraordinary eleven minutes of time added on, the Sky Blues were still pushing for their third goal of the game, however, it was the home side that set up a tense final five minutes as a deflected Louis Reed effort made it's way past the inspired Lee Burge to halve the deficit.
However, the Sky Blues were able to see out the end of a frantic game at the ABAX.
FULL-TIME: Peterborough United 1 - 2 Sky Blues
Sky Blues XI: Lee Burge (GK), Dujon Sterling, Jordan Willis, Dom Hyam, Brandon Mason (Junior Brown ’58) Liam Kelly (C), Tom Bayliss, Luke Thomas (Jordan Shipley ’74), Jordy Hiwula, Bright Enobakhare, Amadou Bakayoko.
Unused Subs: Corey Addai (GK), Jack Grimmer, David Meyler, Jordan Ponticelli, Charlie Wakefield.
Peterborough United XI: Conor O’Malley (GK), Jason Naismith (C), Ben White, Matt Godden, Louis Reed, Callum Cooke (Kyle Dempsey ’46), Joe Ward, Ivan Toney, Daniel Lafferty, Marcus Maddison, Tyler Denton (Lee Tomlin ’56).
Unused Subs: Aaron Chapman (GK), Alex Woodyard, Rhys Bennett, George Cooper, Matty Stevens.
Yellow Cards: Conor O’Malley ’52, Jason Naismith ‘62, Kyle Dempsey '95
Goals: Amadou Bakayoko ’43, Bright Enobakhare ‘49, Louis Reed '97
Attendance: 7,084 with 1,888 travelling Sky Blues